1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector plug having a slipping-off preventing structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, known is a connector plug comprising: a synthetic-resin made body having a fitting portion to which a counter connector socket is to be fitted, and which is projected from one end side; contacts which are held by the body; and a metal case (shield) that covers the body, and that has a fixing portion in which a cable configured by binding wires connected to the contacts is placed inside and fixed by performing crimping. When such a connector plug is inserted into or extracted from a receptacle (counter connector socket) disposed in a portable telephone or the like, the contacts disposed in the connector plug are connected to or disconnected from contacts disposed in the receptacle. For example, such a connector plug is used with being inserted into a receptacle of a portable telephone to attain fitting connection in the case where electrical signals are to be transmitted and received between an apparatus on the side of the connector plug and the portable telephone, or an electric power is to be supplied to the portable telephone. In such a connector plug, a slipping-off preventing structure for, even when vibrations or an external force is applied, preventing the connector plug from slipping off from the receptacle of the portable telephone is important. A connector plug comprising, as such a slipping-off preventing structure, a latch which is formed by a metal plate, and which, when a fitting portion of a body is inserted into a receptacle, is engaged with an engaging portion disposed in the receptacle is known. For example, a connector plug having a structure in which a metal case covers a body excluding a fitting portion comprises a latch having a cantilevered structure that extends from the metal case to the fitting portion of the body, and that is integrated with the metal case (see Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open Nos. 2001-291556 and 2002-198125). A connector plug having a structure in which a metal case covers a body including a fitting portion, such as a USB connector standard compliant connector plug comprises a latch having a cantilevered structure that is cut and raised from a tubular portion of the metal case covering the fitting portion of the body, and that is integrated with the metal case (see Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open Nos. 2003-243093 and 2004-87462). The latch disposed in the latter connector plug can be bent only in the thickness direction, and hence it is structurally difficult to obtain a large engaging force (elastic force) (as compared with the latch disposed in the former connector plug). When vibrations or an external force is applied, hence, there is a high possibility that the engagement is lost and the slipping-off prevention of the connector plug is cancelled. By contrast, the latch disposed in the former connector plug can be bent in the width direction, and hence it is structurally easy to obtain a large engaging force (as compared with the latch disposed in the latter connector plug). Even when vibrations or an external force is applied, hence, the possibility that the engagement is lost and the slipping-off prevention of the connector plug is cancelled is low.